Mostly Original: 1948 International KB2 Pickup
International Harvester began making trucks in 1909, and it has never stopped. Through wars, financial trials, mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, and name changes, IH has survived. So has this beautiful International KB2 pickup, found for us by T.J. in “mostly original” condition. The truck is located in Middleburg, Pennsylvania; compliments to the seller for a wonderful presentation. I think an owner who cares enough to clean up his vehicle and pose it thoughtfully was likely a good steward during his ownership.
The KB was a minor evolutionary step up from International’s prewar K series with minor cosmetic changes marking the only differences between the two. As usual in the company’s lexicon, the numbers after each model name designated weight ratings, with “1” corresponding to a half-ton, “2” being a three-quarter ton, and so forth. When new models were introduced, International brought the design straight up the weight scale, and with its specialty in heavy-duty commercial trucks, that meant a LOT of bodies. The KB line encompassed several wheelbase lengths, weight ratings, and box styles. Powering the KB2 was International’s 214 cu. in. Green Diamond six-cylinder with a compression ratio of 6.3:1 and about 82 hp. A three-speed column-shift manual was supplied standard, but according to comments on Binder Planet, a four-speed on the floor was optional. A running video included in the listing demonstrates that this truck purrs with aplomb. Its brakes have been rebuilt and the wiring and tires are new.
The interior is tidy with room for cosmetic improvements. We can guess the front bench seat needs new upholstery. The crank-out windshield works well, and all the lights perform. Truck makers were just beginning to pay attention to driver comfort; improved ventilation was achieved with cowl vents. We mentioned that the KB represented only a minor update to International’s pre-war K series – one of those updates included “whiskers” extending from the lower portion of the grille. The seller has these pieces but they need to be straightened and installed.
The bed is in decent condition, all the glass is good, the lenses are intact, and except for the occasional minor dent, the sheet metal is far better than some examples we see. If you find this ’48 KB2 intriguing, it’s listed here on facebook Marketplace for $11,500. How does that price stack up? This project-quality KB2 sold for $11,235 in April; at the top end, this show truck (a KB1) sold for $23,100 in May. What would you pay for a nicely patina’d, well-running early International pickup?
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Comments
$11,500,,did anyone ever think an old farm pickup would garner 5 figures? A far cry from the $1243 when new. Special thanks to the author for highlighting these work horses of yesteryear.
The KB was an outdated model, as by 1948, other companies had redesigned their trucks, and IH still holding on to pre-war designs. That would change in ’49 with the all “Comfo-Vision” cab on the highly successful L series, and ran well into the 70s for various truck makers. It was the L series that had the cowl vent. The IH was the staple for farmers that relied on their IH farm machines for a living. The IH pickup was their choice. The only problem, is they were so reliable, most farmers only bought 1, as was the case here. Didn’t matter, IH was the absolute leader in HD truck sales, as demand for longer distance, IH was king of the road. I’d have to think the pickup sales comprised a small number of IH trucks sold, even though over 122,000 K and KB trucks were sold.
An emotional plea, why are people ruining the hobby with these kinds of prices? This isn’t a 5 figure truck and we all know it. So who is buying this stuff? Obviously my views are out of date, and got to be younger folks. An old timer would never think of bilking his fellow truck enthusiast and we probably won’t see these for $500 anymore. Such a shame, this was a truck you had your eye on for years and finally convinced Farmer Brown, or Browns widow, to sell the truck for a couple hundred bucks. That got you a local dump runner, Home Depot( provided not too far away) and just a good old hauler with a shred of old time class.
I don’t know the sellers, I’m sure they are nice folks, love their kids, pay their taxes but they should be scorned for ruining the hobby with their greedy prices like these, sorry. Do I have a legit gripe, or just blowing hot air at 5:30 am, MT.
Howard. The value of the US dollar has declined dramatically since 1948. Here is a graph of inflation since 1947. If you want to know why anything – butter, gas, rent, a ’48 International – costs “so much” now, this is the answer.
Thanks, I’m no beginner at life, and like many here, have lived that graph. If cheese goes to $10/lb( not far now) or price of gas, we have no choice but to pay it. It’s these generally nonuseful toys that are clearly a whimsical purchase, and sellers sticking to the adage, “I have one, you don’t”, want a premium for that. Like my mom always said, “this too shall pass”, and sellers better enjoy it now. Heck, if current trends continue, and there’s every indication it will, people in 10 years won’t know if their SS is intact, I hardly think an old truck will be worth anything.
Michelle, thank you for great articles and the inflation graph. But you didn’t include the other graph. You know… wages? My Dad always told me a story of when he was a young apprentice in the late 1930’s. As a skilled tradesman making about $0.50 an hour, his co-worker said, “Bud, if we could just make $1.00 and hour we would have it made!”. It all comes down to cash flow, money in vs money out. Personally I find this truck to be a very good find and reasonably priced for the marketplace. International Harvester has deep roots in Springfield Ohio, as do I.
@ Dave:
Thank you for your recognition of my efforts to maintain compliance with BF’s common sense minimal posting guidelines. The inability of some folks to comprehend simplistic instructions is a shocking demonstration of the decline of adult reading comprehension in our nation – some people can’t even comprehend three simple words. You have to wonder how they make it through life and with such a disability. Your demonstrated support, Dave, has provided me with renewed energy to continue to provide this service, as someone has to try to maintain a minimum level of integrity as regards to this website’s posting rules. Again, thank you for your kind words- they mean a lot to me.
Howard, I agree with you about today’s prices! My thought is these TV shows like american pickers and others have had some influence here! What a shame you are so right! Even televised auctions do not help!
My thoughts exactly, Howard.
“why are people ruining the hobby with these kinds of prices?”
As a buyer, I hate to see the high prices for basically non usable/hobby vehicles that people almost used to give away too. But if I was a seller, I guess I’d be apt to sell whatever I have for as much as folks are willing to pay. I can’t see myself saying, “Well, I could probably sell this truck for $10k, but you seem like a nice fella that will enjoy it so I’m gonna let it go for $2500”.
As for this truck, I like it, but all trucks of that vintage are just basically non usable anymore, in my opinion. Bouncing around at 40 mph with a road draft tube, no AC, the smell of exhaust and gear oil in your nose hoping someone in something faster (which is everything on the road) doesn’t rear end you when it’s 90 something degrees with 90 something percent humidity is just….not fun lol. I daily drove a 1950 Chevy truck in high school for a while in the early 90’s, so I speak from experience.
Howard, that is a fair price for this truck. Sorry you see this as greedy. I know in your world everyone should give their antique vehicles away for nothing. Show us where they are still making these vehicles so that we can see how many there are coming on the market to keep prices as low as you desire. Yes, your views are clearly out of date. People aren’t buying these kind of trucks to do farm work anymore. They are collectible vintage vehicles. We aren’t in 1950 anymore. The owner shouldn’t be scorned but instead appreciated for keeping the truck clean and running.
Howard, as you know, where you live there are million-dollar-plus “getaway” homes only in use for a couple weeks a year. You can load up a new pickup truck with options and approach a price of 6 figures. I just read that the average cost for a wedding in 2024 is $33K. For some people $11,500 is pocket change, it’s “sofa cushion” money.
Hi Todd, I do understand, and for the most part, I can rationalize with the folks with “million dollar cabins visited once a year”, thing. Generally, I’ve found, people that live in Colorado, made their money someplace else, and moved here, or will eventually. There’s a LOT of those homes, and a lot of successful people. It’s not all daddy’s money. I’m saying, the gap is too wide from the folks that have it and the ones that don’t. A society simply can’t survive with such a gap. That could get pretty ugly someday soon.
When I went into the summer workforce as a teen in the late 60’s, I think minimum wage was 75c an hour, but as a builder’s laborer we were in awe of the big machine operators who earned as much as $10! My first car in 1967 was a 53 Ford, that I learned to work on, that cost me $50 to purchase in rural Ohio. I remember when…. The good news with this truck, as stated is the brakes and other mechanics are sorted. And, in the last 20 years or so, old, faded paint with some surface rust is patina, something to be admired by many, especially younger.
Would a buyer get any less enjoyment out of this $11,500 truck than the silvertail who pays ten or twenty times as much for a Cobra?
And is probably too afraid to drive it “enjoyably”!
Had one on the farm when I was a kid. Dad bought it from a neighbor who had it parked next to his old barn for years. It had Micky Mouse painted on one door and Goofy painted on the other. Had no brakes so the trip back downhill from the cornfield was in low gear. My oldest brother drove it, I was too little.
Pancake the hood, leave the rest of the body and paint alone, and get it low on a decent chassis. And don’t forget the beloved “Clown Wheels” lol!
Well, adjusted for inflation, $1,243 in 1948 is worth approximately $16,294 in modern money. That being said, there isn’t much wrong with this one, and new wiring and rebuilt brakes certainly sweeten the deal. Knocking off the price of an old Civic seems generous This IH will find a buyer quick, seeing as how these prices aren’t unusual in the truck department. Just looking at Hemmings, this seems to be a relatively good deal. I’d also be willing to pay more for an old vehicle in general because of scarcity, reliability, and a caring seller. Then again, you guys know more than I do about the market for these, and I can’t even drive yet. Just my 2 cents, or 26 cents adjusted for inflation.
Good Day To All
Flint
Sure Flint, thanks for throwing common sense and reality in our faces!
Agree, 11,500+ is high in 1948 dollars, low in 2024 dollars. Lived in timber, lumber and farm country when 4 years old and remember seeing these new in 1948. Yes, I’m an old dude and dollars are hard to come by but this one would fit my needs for local transportation and meeting the Home Depot to home runs for my “urban lifestyle”. No going back but memories keep the past fresh.
Hope it keeps as near original as possible with the next owner.
I own a 1940 D2. These trucks are lovable, tough and easy to work on. With some ingenuity you can still find or adapt parts. The green diamond is a variant of the Willys flathead that IH bought license to, in the early 30’s. They can take a lot of abuse. Wouldn’t trade my D2 for any Chevy or Ford. Always draws a crowd.
We’d love to see a photo!
Members only, I believe.
Lots of these around back when I was a kid. Binders are really gaining in popularity. We sell a lot of parts for these on a daily basis. Engines are probably the most difficult to get parts for but they’re out there. And improving.
Looks like a 3-speed floor-shift there. Four-speed had a thicker shift lever. Binders could be gotten with either column-shift or floor-shift. The column-shift cable is hard to come by although I heard that an outfit in SoCal makes cables to order. A 4-speed was available but it was the tried and true Warner T-9 crashbox with straight-cut gears. You could hear that whining from three blocks away (if you had that tranny behind a Ford Flathead V-8 you heard it from SIX blocks away for some reason) but that’s the way they sound. Get used to double-clutching.
The pandemic could be blamed for the demise of a lot of the aftermarket. Businesses shuttered their facilities and contracted current, fast-moving stuff off-shore. When they realized that there was still a lucrative market for this old stuff, and decided to re-open, they couldn’t find anyone to work for them.
I sure wouldn’t mind having this truck on my driveway. I’ll have to settle for the trucks I’ve got I guess. Hope that the new owner is happy with this one…
I love this year International truck, unfortunately, my grandfather didn’t become an IH customer until the early 1960s, he had a 63 Carryall or Travellal, a 1970 as well as a few tractors on the farm, but he was partial to Ford and Chevy trucks. He was good friends with the IH dealer in our area. It was always a treat to visit the dealership with him when I was a Kid. Like a big boy, toy store. Great truck and buyer will be a happy camper.
Not on facebook now, either sold or expired.
One last thing, because I can’t let this go.when you quote the original price , then correct for inflation, then where is the depreciation? So then we go back to where they stop depreciating and start gaining value again, which is not very far. Still no way High school kids today can afford what we could. Very disappointing, another Era winding down. But then again, so are a lot of us.
The days of acquiring a 1948 IH truck like this one for $500 or $2500 are dead and gone. And today’s buttaching about paying today’s prices for these classics has gotten old. If you don’t want to pay the asking price, then don’t buy it. This is a free market economy, and a luxury item, and not something that you aren’t entitled to get at a 1970s price.
You’re right in that respect. I’m a little surprised what some of the old vehicles in the hedgerow are going for, yet I’m not surprised. I bought my ’47 Ford pickup for $90.00 and drove it home. But that was in 1967 and a lot of water has run under the bridge since then. Something as complete as this, and in the shape it is, is basically a license to print money. I don’t like it but there’s not a lot any of us can do about it. It’s the way it is now. Maybe one of us will luck out and win the Powerball…